Majority Doesn`t Rule In Runoff

September 29, 1986

Tuesday`s ``runoff`` election is aptly named: Most voters are certain to ``run off`` and do everything but show up at the polls.

Secretary of State George Firestone is predicting the smallest voter turnout in state history, only 25 percent of those registered. In Broward County, Supervisor of Elections Jane Carroll projects a turnout of only 8 percent to 10 percent.

It will be a disgrace if so few people exercise their responsibilities and freedoms as citizens and refuse to take part in the process of choosing their elected leaders.

Unfortunately, the runoff is easy to ignore. With only a handful of races, it lacks the drawing power of the first primary, held this year on Sept. 2, or the general election, set for Nov. 4.

Still, the election is important. In statewide races, both Democrats and Republicans will pick their parties` nominees for governor, while Democrats choose from among two finalists for attorney general and Republicans pick their nominee for state education commissoner. On the local level, Democrats will pick a party nominee for the District 4 seat on the Port Everglades Authority.

With turnout so low, the runoff almost becomes a joke, along with notions like ``majority rule`` and ``the will of the people.``

Consequently, Florida`s Legislature and its citizens should consider amending the state Constitution to abolish the runoff.

Currently, runoff elections are required between the top two vote-getters if no candidate gets over 50 percent of the votes cast in a primary.

In principle, the runoff is designed to protect the idea of requiring candidates to obtain a majority of votes cast. But in practice, so few people vote in runoffs that ``winning`` candidates are still the choice of only a fraction of potential voters.

Forty-one states get along quite well without runoffs. Florida should become No. 42.